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Wednesday, October 03, 2007

The Seventh Seal

U.S. Labs Mishandling Deadly Germs

By LARRY MARGASAK
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- American laboratories handling the world's
deadliest germs and toxins have experienced more than 100 accidents and
missing shipments since 2003, and the number is increasing steadily as
more labs across the country are approved to do the work.

No one died, and regulators said the public was never at risk during
these incidents. But the documented cases reflect poorly on procedures
and oversight at high-security labs, some of which work with organisms
and poisons so dangerous that illnesses they cause have no cure. In
some cases, labs have failed to report accidents as required by law.

The mishaps include workers bitten or scratched by infected animals,
skin cuts, needle sticks and more, according to a review by The
Associated Press of confidential reports submitted to federal
regulators. They describe accidents involving anthrax, bird flu virus,
monkeypox and plague-causing bacteria at 44 labs in 24 states. More
than two-dozen incidents were still under investigation...
 

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